WHAT’S NEW NEW HEALTH CARE RELATED PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND COMPANIES
EURO RSCG LIFE Launched
Single executivemanagement team — led bySander Flaum andRonPantello — united under a single financial reporting structure.
Euro RSCG Worldwide has created Euro RSCG Life, a fully integrated, global health marketing and communications group. The change ushers in a single executive management team united under one financial reporting structure.
The new group aligns the company’s 44 health-focused offices in 16 major markets around the globe, creating a single network with almost 1,000 employees. The group is able to provide clients every discipline they need to build their businesses, including advertising, public relations, event promotion, medical education, consumer advertising, interactive, and consulting services.
Sander Flaum, formerly CEO of Robert A. Becker Euro RSCG,serves as chairman of Euro RSCG Life. Ron Pantello, formerly CEO of LM&P parent Euro RSCG Healthview, serves as the new company’s CEO in charge of the network’s day-to-day operations.
“Offering integrated solutions to address the dis tinct needs within each facet of the health business is critical,” says Bob Schmetterer, chairman and CEO of Euro RSCG Worldwide. “By applying `The Power of One’ concept we introduced last year in our consumer network, we will greatly enhance Euro RSCG’s ability to transform our clients’ businesses through creative business ideas. In the coming year, we will likely face greater consolidation within the sector, and the introduction of new guidelines that will directly affect pharmaceutical pricing. With this network restructure,we are unique ly qualified to best help our clients navigate these issues and achieve their goals.”
Management of the group is led by the Euro RSCG Life Executive ManagementCommittee.Reporting to Mr. Pantello are Mark Goldstone, chief operating officer and global business director; Diane Harri, CEO Americas; Michel Nakache, CEO Europe/Asia; Michael Norton, chief strategy officer; Donna Murphy, chief of operations; and Tony Russo, CEO of Euro RSCG Life Public Relations. Al Paz,presi dent of Euro RSCG Life Becker in the United States, also serves on the committee with responsibility for Latin American operations and the network’s market ing services companies.
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Sander Flaum, along with Ron Pantello, head up Euro RSCG Life, jointly setting and leading the group’s business growth strategies while retaining close relationships with key clients.
Multicultural Healthcare Marketing Group and CPRi Communications Launch E-LEARNING PROGRAMS
Effectively reaching the more than 80 million multicultural healthcare consumers and 100,000 healthcare professionals that deliver care to these segments is the focus of a partnership forged by the newly formed Multicultural Healthcare Marketing Group (MHMG) and CPRi Communications (CPR). Together, these companies are launching a series of multicultural marketing and elearning programs designed to help pharmaceutical manufacturers, managed-care organizations, and other healthcare industry stakeholders to capitalize on business opportunities in multicultural markets.
“Today, multicultural marketing is a business imperative that impacts brand success in communities coast to coast, including African, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American segments,” says MHMG President Sheila Thorne. “Businesses that are selling into these diverse markets have traditionally overlooked the cultural dynamics of their customers and may have failed to fully capitalize on their sales potential.”
Beginning with comprehensive research, segmentation, and analysis of geographic/demographic market data, MHMG and CPR provide strategic counsel, training, and campaign pullthrough marketing support in urban markets.
The MHMG/CPR service portfolio includes: market research/strategic segment planning, community mapping,cultural competence training,elearning programs, seminars and awareness presentations, advocacy, advisory board/speaker development, clinicaltrial recruitment, managedcare marketing initiatives, community coalition building, government relations, online/offline advertising, professional/DTC/DTP, public relations, and special events/conferences/trade shows.
“In this increasingly multicultural nation, brand managers,marketing executives,and other key decision makers must recognize the strategic value and growth potential associated with building bridges to the emerging minority markets, which will soon become the majority, as these populations continue to experience rapid growth,” says Andrew Weiss berg,CPR executive VP. “Multicultural messaging and training initiatives should be strongly considered when planning a product launch.”
ApotheCom Associates Creates EUROPEAN PRESENCE
ApotheCom AssociatesLLC has opened a European office in London.The office will be managed by David Avitabile, who joins Apothe Com from Oxford Clinical Commu nications (OCC) Europe where he was director of business develop ment. Mr. Avitabile has more than 15 years of experience in medical communications, including medical education, public relations, and business development.
“With a strong existing client base, a huge opportunity exists to continue providing high-quality medical communications services to companies with global drug development and marketing teams located in Europe,” Mr. Avitabile says.
According to ApotheCom President and CEO, Neil Matheson, the company’s clients are now developing products worldwide, with global development plans culminating in simultaneous registration and launch in Europe, the United States, and Japan. The new European office has been established to respond to its clients’ needs in terms of global medical communications programs to support successful commercialization.
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David Avitabile says with a strong existing client base, a huge opportunity exists to continue providing highquality medical communications services to companies with global drug development and marketing teams located in Europe.
Curatio Institute’s CME Offerings INCLUDE INTERACTIVE APPROACHES
Curatio Institute of Continuing Medical Education, which was founded in October 2002, has expanded its services to include applications that use the Internet, handheld devices, and pointofcare scenarios, among other methods, to address physician needs and learning preferences. The Institute is able to provide cost-effective measurable educational programming geared to produce positive changes in physician behavior.
“Our goal is to educate physicians in ways that work best for them and in ways that we can measure,” says Claudia Rosenberg, Ph.D. , founder of Curatio. “That means matching the teaching format and media to the learner. My research shows that physician learning preferences have changed greatly over time. While some physicians may prefer traditional forms of learning, many physicians use more computer-based, interactive approaches to learning.”
In addition to its interactive and Internetbased programming,Curatio offers full CMEprogram planning for live and enduring activities, including faculty recruitment, course development, audience recruitment, program evaluation, and venue management.
Matthews Media Group CREATES NEW CORPORATE STRUCTURE
Matthews Media Group (MMG) has expanded its corporate structure to provide broader strategic capabil ities to its roster of healthcare clients throughout every phase of the disease research, treatment, and preven tion life cycle. MMG also is strengthening its medical focus, communications capabilities, and client services.
The new corporate structure has created three distinct, yet interrelated groups that support each other through project teams.
The Therapeutic Division is designed to strengthen and grow company expertise in specific clinical areas, including recruitment and retention of patients for clinical trials in oncology mental health/neurology, endocrinology/cardiovascular,general medicine, and infectious diseases.
The PR/Communications Division provides enhanced strength in public relations, media training, branding, health and science writing, message development, editorial support, health education campaigns, meetings management, materials development, and crisis communications dissemination.
The Client Service Division offers a range of inhouse client services, including graphic design, call centers, advertising, new media and Web development, research,and strategic materials design.
“We are helping our clients think strategically about each phase of communications planning and clinical development,” says MaryAnn Guerra, executive VP of MMG. “Our new divisions work seamlessly to support clients throughout the disease management continuum — from identifying and recruiting participants for clinical trials, to product launches, to educating healthcare providers and the public about advances with life changing and lifesaving impact.”
Thomson PDR Launches PDR CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION SERVICE
Thomson PDR, a part of The Thomson Corp., has launched PDR Continuing Medical Education, a service that helps pharmaceutical companies distribute important clinical information to physicians.
“We have been communicating with healthcare professionals for more than half a century and they know and trust PDR,”says Paul Walsh, executive VP of Thomson PDR.
Thomson PDR offers two delivery options for the service: premium positioning as a ride-a-long with the PDR or its semiannual supplements, or as a standalone mailing using PDRbranded packaging.The PDR has been the drug information standard for 57 years and reaches almost 500,000 U.S. practicing physicians on a complementary basis each year.
ThomsonPDR also handles all aspects of eachCME/CE program, including content creation, accreditation, production, fulfillment, and test processing.Accreditation is available through the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (for physicians and physician assistants), the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners,and the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (for pharmacists).
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Physicians have specifically expressed an interest in PDRdelivered CME, says Paul Walsh.
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INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT
BIO Says Human Cloning Prohibition Act Too Restrictive
The House of Representatives passed a bill on Feb. 26, 2003, to amend title 18 of the United States Code, to prohibit human cloning. H.R.534, The Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2003, amends the federal criminal code to make it illegal for any public or private person or entity to “knowingly perform or attempt to perform human cloning; participate in an attempt to perform human cloning; or ship or receive for any purpose an embryo produced by human cloning or any product derived from such embryo.”
The passage of H.R. 534 was met with concern from the Biotechnology Industry Organiza tion (BIO), which expects the bill to stall new medical research. The group points to the bill’s legislation concerning therapeutic research using somatic cell nuclear transfer as being too restrictive.
In a statement issued by Michael Werner, VP of bioethics of BIO, the group says it opposes reproductive cloning because it is unethical and dangerous. But the group says this legislation would criminalize therapeutic research using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), as well as the importation of any products developed abroad using the technology.
“The debate over anti-cloning legislation now moves to the Senate, where the more limited Human Cloning Ban and Stem Cell Research Protection Act of 2003 (S. 303) has been introduced as an alternative to a sweeping ban of this promising technology,” says Mr. Werner. “S.303,sponsored by Senators Feinstein, Specter, Kennedy, Harkin and Miller, would protect vital therapeutic research while banning reproductive cloning.
“Responsible scientists hope to use SCNT to develop new stem-cell lines for the study of genetic diseases; to increase the genetic diversity of available stem lines; and to develop newwaysof deriving genetically matched embryonic stem cells that can be used to create cell and tissue transplants to treat diseases and injuries afflicting upwards of 100 million Americans,” Mr.Werner continues.
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According to Michael Werner, this bill amounts to overkill, with potentially serious consequences for medical research. It would criminalize therapeutic research using somatic cell nuclear transfer, as well as the importation of any products developed abroad using the technology.
New Jersey Office Positions CONCEPTIS FOR U.S.GROWTH
Conceptis Technologies, an international medical media and education company, has opened a New Jersey location to handle strategic medicaleducation development for clients.
“New Jersey is really the center of the pharmaceutical industry in North America,” says President Greg Ogrodnick. “We’ve always been very active in the area with staff in New Jersey and New York City, and our business has steadily expanded over the last five years. We have a strong U.S. client base that includes Aventis, OrthoMcNeil, Hemosol, Merck, ScheringPlough, Bristol Myers Squibb, SanofiSynthelabo, AstraZeneca, and Centocor. This move represents a logical next step to serve our clients in this area more effectively.”
Kathleen Wickman,who recently joined Conceptis as executive VP from Catalyst Communications, heads up the New Jersey office.
Ms.Wickman’s career track also includes Warner Chillcott Labs, where she was VP of marketing, and Berlex Laboratories, where she was group product director for female healthcare and cardiology.
Also part of the team is Dr. Mia Weisberger, medical director, who joined the company from Integrated Communications.
Another senior member of Conceptis’ New Jersey office is Spencer Reese, who is the team’s online education strategist. Mr. Reese has been a key play er at Conceptis for the past four years, helping to define the package of medical communications and education services that have driven the company’s success.
Conceptis has additional offices in Montreal, New York, San Francisco, and the United Kingdom.
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Kathleen Wickman says the team that Conceptis has built in New Jersey positions the company to serve clients with the most innovative and technologically advanced communication programs.
The Sturgess Co. Adds MEDICAL MARKET RESEARCH CAPABILITIES
The Sturgess Co., a medical marketing and communications firm, has expanded its services to provide market research, sales management, staffing, and regulatory and financial management counsel for its clients.
The firm’s new structure also includes management assistance with strategic alliances, funding, partnering, acquisition strategies, and related services.
“We are offering a one source for professional services to assist with some of the toughest issues facing medical product and service companies today,” says John Sturgess, president of The Sturgess Co.”With the increasingly uncertain economic times, companies that supply products and services to healthcare providers have to make the right decisions when it comes to sales, marketing, communications, staffing, and regulatory and financial management.”
The new services allows clients to tap into a diverse range of cost-effective services that are provided by experienced professionals who have qualified skills, and medical industry insight and knowledge. These additional services are for companies that recognize the need for objective, professional assistance on specific issues.
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APOTHECOM ASSOCIATES LLC, Yardley, Pa., is a full-service medical communications company providing advocacy development,publication planning, and medical education services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical-device industries. For more information, visit apothecom.com.
BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ORGANIZATION,Washington,D.C., represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers, and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health care, agricultural, industrial, and environmental biotechnology products. For more information, visit bio.org.
CONCEPTIS TECHNOLOGIES INC., Montreal, is an international medical media and education company that provides premarketing strategic communications and medical education development while providing privileged access to highly targeted and receptive audiences in cardiology and rheumatology. For more information, visit conceptis.com.
CPRI COMMUNICATIONS,Teterboro, N.J., provides a full range of marketing and communications services for high-tech and healthcare entities worldwide, including public relations, investor relations, advertising, media planning,Web development, online marketing, creative design,market research, and direct mail. For more information,visit cpronline.com.
CURATIO INSTITUTE OFCONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION,Yardley, Pa., was founded in October 2002 to provide CME accredited programs for physicians and certified continuing education for health care professionals, including pharmacists and nurses. For more information, email [email protected].
EURORSCG LIFE,New York, is a fully integrated global health marketing and communications group and a unit of Euro RSCG Worldwide,one of the world’s five largest integrated marketing communications agencies. For more information,visit eurorscglife.com.
MATTHEWS MEDIA GROUP INC.,Rockville, Md., is a part of Omnicom Group Inc., a global marketing and corporate communications company. For more information, visit matthewsgroup.com.
MULTICULTURAL HEALTHCARE MARKETING GROUP,Parsippany,N.J., is a marketing company with seasoned, in language, inculture professionals with an indepth understanding of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry and extensive experience in multicultural marketing. For more information, call 973.331.8322.
THE STURGESS COMPANY, Newport Beach, Calif., specializes in medical marketing and communications. For more information,visit sturgesscompany.com.
THOMSON PDR, Montvale, N.J., is a part of The Thomson Corp., a global provider of integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. For more information, visit thomson.com.